[LINK] What happens when an OS becomes successful?

[Marghanita da Cruz]

Craig Sanders wrote:
> On Tue, May 22, 2007 at 08:43:37AM +1000, Marghanita da Cruz wrote:
> 
>>By the way, Knoppix 5.1 includes ICEWEAZEL browser, this is how the Open
>>Source Community responds - more on Knoppix at:
>><http://www.ramin.com.au/linux/slug-bootcamp-19may2007-knoppix.shtml>
>>
>>Presumebly there is potential for some nasty legal battles as ICEWeazel
>>is based on Firefox which started of as Mozilla which was based on
>>Netscape. Wonder where the money will go?
> 
> 
> there's no potential for legal battles over the iceweasel name - it
> was chosen (by debian - and "inherited" by debian-based distros like
> knoppix and ubuntu and others) to avoid trademark issues and avoid legal
> battles.

Iceweazel & icedove ship with Knoppix 5.1 (that was how I found out 
about them)

However, I have just checked Kunbuntu 7.04  (KDE desktop version of 
Ubuntu) and it ships with Konquerer and the standard package includes 
Firefox but not Iceweazel in the Add Programs list (which I am guessing 
is the Ubuntu repository). Noting ofcourse that "Kunbuntu, Kunbuntu logo 
and Canonical are registered trademarks of Canonical Ltd."

I don't have a copy of Unbuntu (Gnome desktop).

> 
> to use the firefox name (and icons), you have to conform to a very
> restrictive set of rules, and that included not changing the code
> without getting it approved by mozilla corp (fair enough, they want to
> protect the reputation of their firefox brand).
> 
> for the first year or so, mozilla were very lenient about use of their
> trademark. then they started to enforce their rules. debian's was unable
> to negotiate a continuation of the previous leniency, so debian's
> response was to not use mozilla's trademark any more and call the
> browser 'iceweasel' (which i think is a better name anyway). the
> restrictions on code changes were completely unacceptable to debian, and
> impractical too.
> 
> and everyone's happy. mozilla dont have their trademark diluted, and
> debian can go on distribution their modified versions of the code same
> as before (just under a different name). it's open source, so that's the
> way it's supposed to be.
> 
> 
> it's the same with other mozilla apps.  in debian:
> 
> mozilla browser is iceape browser
> thunderbird mail client is icedove
> firefox is iceweasel
> 
> the code is basically the same, the name has to be changed for trademark
> reasons.
> 
> 
> craig
> 
> ps: i'm back. been away in hospital for a week since Fri 18th with no
> internet access. got back home yesterday afternoon.
> 


-- 
Marghanita da Cruz
http://www.ramin.com.au/
Telephone: 0414-869202